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Pope invites Down Syndrome teen on car for a spin

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Source: World News
Originally published: Jun 19, 2013 - 6:00 am

Pope Francis smiles as Alberto di Tullio, from Boiano, near Naples, Italy, sits in the pope's seat of his open-top car at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday June 19, 2013. Francis has given a 17-year-old boy with Down's Syndrome the ride of his life — sort of. Francis invited Alberto di Tullio up onto his open-top Mercedes at the end of his general audience Wednesday, letting him spin around on the white chair while tens of thousands of people looked on. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

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VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis has given a 17-year-old boy with Down Syndrome the ride of his life- sort of.

Francis invited Alberto di Tullio up onto his open-top Mercedes at the end of his general audience Wednesday, letting him spin around on the pontiff's white chair while tens of thousands of people looked on.

The boy's father, Celestino di Tullio, told The Associated Press he choked up when Francis approached his son: "The pope saw him, embraced him. Then Alberto pointed to the car, and so he brought him up!"

Perhaps Francis' eye was caught by the blue-and-white-striped Argentine national soccer jersey Alberto was wearing- a gift that the di Tullio's parish priest gave him Wednesday morning before they set out from Boiano, near Naples, for the audience.

Pope Francis waves to the crowd from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio who chose the name of Francis, is the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

In this Jan. 13, 2007 file picture, Pope Benedict XVI shakes hands with archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio during their meeting at the Vatican. On Wednesday, March 13, 2013, Bergoglio was elected pope, the first ever from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium. He chose the name Pope Francis. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano)

In this picture taken in 1973 and released by journalist Sergio Rubin, then priest Jorge Mario Bergoglio, actual Cardinal and Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, posse for a picture. Bergoglio, who took the name of Pope Francis, was elected on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Sergio Rubin, ho)

Pope Francis flanked by Monsignor Guido Marini, master of liturgical ceremonies, waves to the crowd from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, who chose the name of Francis is the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

Crowds cheer after white smoke billowed from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel indicating that a new pope has been elected in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013.(AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)

A pilgrim kisses a cross after white smoke billowed from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel indicating that a new pope has been elected in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)

A Swiss guard salutes, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. The Catholic church has chosen a new pope. White smoke is billowing from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, meaning 115 cardinals in a papal conclave have elected a new leader for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

White smoke emerges from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. The white smoke indicates that the new pope has been elected. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

White smoke billows from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel indicating that a new pope has been elected in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Bells ring in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. The Catholic church has chosen a new pope. White smoke is billowing from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, meaning 115 cardinals in a papal conclave have elected a new leader for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

A barefoot faithful kneels in prayer in St. Peter's Square as cardinals are gathered in the Sistine Chapel for the second day of the conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Cardinals are returning to the Sistine Chapel for a second day of voting to choose a new pope after their first ballot yielded no winner and a great plume of black smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel chimney. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman walks out of a a street near St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Rodman is in Rome to promote the papal candidacy of Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana. ((AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)

A journalist protects himself and his equipment from the rain on top of the Bernini Colonnade overlooking St. Peter's Square on the second day of the conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Cardinals remained divided over who should be pope on Wednesday after three rounds of voting, an indication that disagreements remain about the direction of the Catholic church following the upheaval unleashed by Pope Benedict XVI's surprise resignation. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Pilgrims hold a cross in front of St. Peter's Basilica while cardinals meet in conclave in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Faithful gather in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Cardinals remained divided over who should be pope on Wednesday after three rounds of voting, an indication that disagreements remain about the direction of the Catholic church following the upheaval unleashed by Pope Benedict XVI's surprise resignation. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

A woman holds a cross as she prays in front of St. Peter's Square on the second day of the conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Cardinals remained divided over who should be pope on Wednesday after three rounds of voting, an indication that disagreements remain about the direction of the Catholic Church following the upheaval unleashed by Pope Benedict XVI's surprise resignation. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Two nuns sit under the Bernini Colonnade in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Cardinals remained divided over who should be pope on Wednesday after three rounds of voting, an indication that disagreements remain about the direction of the Catholic church following the upheaval unleashed by Pope Benedict XVI's surprise resignation. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

A seagull sits on the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel while another flies past in St. Peter's Square during the second day of the conclave to elect a new pope at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

In a photo taken with a fisheye lens, crowds gather in St. Peter's Square to wait for the election of a new pope by the cardinals in conclave in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Crowds gather in St. Peter's Square to wait for the election of a new pope by the cardinals in conclave in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

In this image taken from video provided by CTV, a cardinal places his hands on the Gospel to "promise pledge and swear" to keep the oath of secrecy after entering the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City for the conclave to elect the next pope Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/CTV)

A giant monitor in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013 shows the heavy wooden door to the Sistine Chapel being closed and locked, signaling the start of the conclave to elect a new pope to succeed Benedict XVI following his stunning resignation. Monsignor Guido Marini, master of liturgical ceremonies, closed the double doors after shouting "Extra omnes," Latin for "all out," telling everyone but those taking part in the conclave to leave the frescoed hall. He then locked it. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

People wait in St. Peter's Square while cardinals meet in conclave to elect the next pope in the Sistine's Chapel at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

A woman prays in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Cardinals from around the globe locked themselves inside the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to choose a new leader for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics and their troubled church. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

People wait in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Cardinals from around the globe locked themselves inside the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to choose a new leader for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics and their troubled church. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

In this image made from video provided by Vatican CTV television, Italian Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, left, takes an oath of secrecy inside the Sistine Chapel, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013, before the start of the conclave to elect the 266th Roman Catholic Church pope. Behind Bertone is Cardinal Antonius Naguib, of Egypt. (AP Photo/CTV via APTV)

A floodlight illuminates the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, from where the newly elected pope will salute the crowd, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel for the conclave to elect the next pope amid deep divisions and uncertainty over who will lead the 1.2 billion-strong Catholic church and tend to its many problems. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

A pilgrim waits in St. Peter's Square while cardinals meet in conclave to elect a new pope in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

In this picture released by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Monsignor Guido Marini, Master of Liturgical Ceremonies, closes the double doors to the Sistine Chapel in after shouting "Extra omnes," Latin for "all out," telling everyone but those taking part in the conclave to leave the frescoed hall, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Marini then locked the doors. Cardinals from around the globe locked themselves inside the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to choose a new leader for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics and their troubled church, surrounded by Michelangelo's imposing frescos imagining the beginning and the end of the world. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)

In this picture released by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Cardinals line up to take an oath of secrecy inside the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013, before the start the conclave to elect the 266th Roman Catholic pope. Cardinals from around the globe locked themselves inside the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to choose a new leader for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics and their troubled church, surrounded by Michelangelo's imposing frescos imagining the beginning and the end of the world. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)

In this picture released by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, cardinals take an oath of secrecy and make their way to their seats inside the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013, before they start the conclave to elect the 266th Roman Catholic pope. Cardinals from around the globe locked themselves inside the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to choose a new leader for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics and their troubled church, surrounded by Michelangelo's imposing frescos imagining the beginning and the end of the world. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)

In this picture released by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, cardinals take an oath of secrecy inside the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013, before they start the conclave to elect the 266th Roman Catholic pope. Cardinals from around the globe locked themselves inside the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to choose a new leader for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics and their troubled church, surrounded by Michelangelo's imposing frescos imagining the beginning and the end of the world. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)

TV journalists report from outside St. Peter's Square as cardinals took an oath in the Sistine Chapel at the start the conclave to elect a new pope at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to elect the next pope amid more upheaval and uncertainty than the Catholic Church has seen in decades: There's no front-runner, no indication how long voting will last and no sense that a single man has what it takes to fix the many problems. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Faithful follow cardinals taking an oath inside the Sistine Chapel at the start the conclave to elect a new pope on a video monitor in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to elect the next pope amid more upheaval and uncertainty than the Catholic Church has seen in decades: There's no front-runner, no indication how long voting will last and no sense that a single man has what it takes to fix the many problems. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

In this picture released by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Monsignor Guido Marini, Master of Liturgical Ceremonies, partly seen behind the doors, closes the double doors to the Sistine Chapel in after shouting "Extra omnes," Latin for "all out," telling everyone but those taking part in the conclave to leave the frescoed hall, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Marini then locked the doors. Cardinals from around the globe locked themselves inside the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to choose a new leader for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics and their troubled church, surrounded by Michelangelo's imposing frescos imagining the beginning and the end of the world. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)

In this picture released by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel prior to the start of the conclave, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Cardinals from around the globe locked themselves inside the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to choose a new leader for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics and their troubled church, surrounded by Michelangelo's imposing frescos imagining the beginning and the end of the world. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)

Black smoke emerges from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. The black smoke indicates that the new pope has not been elected yet. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)

In this picture released by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Cardinals James Micheal Harvey, second from left, Giuseppe Versaldi, second from right, Edwin Frederick O'Brien, third from right, and Francesco Coccopalmerio, background center, enter the Sistine Chapel to take part in the conclave,, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Marini then locked the doors. Cardinals from around the globe locked themselves inside the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to choose a new leader for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics and their troubled church, surrounded by Michelangelo's imposing frescos imagining the beginning and the end of the world. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)

Faithful gather in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Black smoke has poured from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that cardinals have failed to elect a pope on their first try. The cardinals held the first day of the conclave Tuesday deeply divided over the problems of the church and who best among them could fix them following the stunning resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

An Femen group activist is detained by police officers following a protest against the pope outside St. Peter's Square as cardinals took an oath in the Sistine Chapel at the start the conclave to elect a new pope at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to elect the next pope amid more upheaval and uncertainty than the Catholic Church has seen in decades: There's no front-runner, no indication how long voting will last and no sense that a single man has what it takes to fix the many problems. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Black smoke pours from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that cardinals have failed to elect a pope on their first try, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. The cardinals held the first day of the conclave Tuesday deeply divided over the problems of the church and who best among them could fix them following the stunning resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Smoke emerges from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. The black smoke indicates that the new pope has not been elected by the cardinals in conclave. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

This March 11, 2013 picture made available Tuesday, March 12, 2013 by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano shows papal jewelry and garments in a room next to the Sistine Chapel, at the Vatican. Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to elect the next pope amid more upheaval and uncertainty than the Catholic Church has seen in decades: There's no front-runner, no indication how long voting will last and no sense that a single man has what it takes to fix the many problems. The three identical white papal outfits in small, medium and large for the new pontiff's first appearance on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica are delivered to the Vatican before the start of the conclave and left in a room next to the Sistine Chapel, where the newly elected pope changes into his new clothes. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)

Faithful hold their umbrellas as they follow cardinals taking an oath inside the Sistine Chapel at the start the conclave on a video monitor in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to elect the next pope amid more upheaval and uncertainty than the Catholic Church has seen in decades: There's no front-runner, no indication how long voting will last and no sense that a single man has what it takes to fix the many problems. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

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wrote...

Final Pope?

February 11, 2013 7:41 am

According to Catholic lore this Pope was to have an abbreviated reign and the next Pope is supposed to be the antichrist. It seems like things could be falling right into place. (if you believe "Catholic lore")

261395

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The Chemist wrote...

In AZ we might have a job for him....

February 11, 2013 8:17 am

...he can come to Maricopa County and become Sheriff. You see..any senile buffoon can do it. Look at the one we have today!!! (dripping with sarcasm....LOL)

261404

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OneWonders wrote...

Agreed Chemist

February 11, 2013 9:15 am

or become POTUS!

Equal Justice, Not Social Justice.

261405

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desert_don wrote...

Papal Prophecy

February 11, 2013 4:13 pm

The Prophecy of the Popes, attributed to Saint Malachy, is a list of 112 short phrases in Latin. They purport to describe each of the Roman Catholic popes (along with a few anti-popes), beginning with Pope Celestine II (elected in 1143) and concluding with current pope Benedict XVI's successor, a pope described in the prophecy as "Peter the Roman", whose pontificate will end in the destruction of the city of Rome. (Source: Wikipedia)

261505

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UZI wrote...

Potential nominees are only asked one ?

March 11, 2013 8:06 am

The one with the least amount of molestations will win.

265129

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OneWonders wrote...

Hey Chuck Powell

March 13, 2013 10:25 am

You were all excited about the Nostradamus prediction of the Catholic church and the last pope, maybe this new one will be the last one.

Equal Justice, Not Social Justice.

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Japricka_Joe wrote...

WHICH CARDINAL WAS IT

March 13, 2013 10:48 am

Rumor has it that Ken Whisenhunt has been the chosen one. Couldn't be an effective head coach and perhaps could be a better leader to a failing religion. WHITE SMOKE ..... What kind of childish behavior is this? Just come out and announce it like modern day people do. Stop the non-sense

J.Joey

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Wrote wrote...

That

March 13, 2013 11:52 am

was close. obama was runner up.

265588

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wrote...

^^^^^^^ hahahaha

March 13, 2013 12:19 pm

obama just couldn't win the italian vote :)

265591

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Pope invites Down Syndrome teen on car for a spin

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